What makes a good Driving Range?

[Big Koala]

General query to all golfers.

What would be your perfect driving range?

What's wrong and right about existing Pattaya driving ranges?

 

Being somewhat addicted to practice i have been to most ranges close in to Pattaya.

Obvious things that make them bad are:

- worn out mats

- sloping ground where you stand, this drives me nuts and is simply bad for any practice.

- hitting into the sun and standing in the sun (late afternoon is my preferred time).

- poor quality range balls.

 

Things that make then good are the opposites of the above, plus:

- a nice comfort level. Chairs and tables, the relax factor.

- putting and chipping facility.

- general appearance. Clean, tidy, fresh paint.

- good attentive staff.

 

I have mostly settled on just about the grubbiest range in Pattaya (Green Way),

because you hit away from the sun and stand in shade and the real balls are pretty good and cheap.

 

So, hypothetically, i am making a new driving range in Pattaya.

All the good things above are included, but also;

- would you like to see a more of a real bar there, comfortable chairs and tables, pretty girls serving, maybe aircon, etc?

- much more "golf theme". e.g. posters, photos, magazines, golf channel on tv, instruction tips etc.?

- a Pro Shop?

- lots of us probably want a short-time bar there as well but we'll leave that til later ok.

 

Would you come to my Driving Range?

[Buddy Edgewood]

I'm a natural grass driving range kinda guy. I can't seem to connect my swing from driving range to course play when I've been practicing on mats. Maybe I'm just weird...

[Big Koala]

maybe a bit weird.. hehehe.

actually i reckon i prefer a good mat to thai grass.

i find the thai grass (is it grass or some kind of plant?) in the light soft sandy soil around pattaya is

just awful for hitting balls off.

you get no resistance when the club strikes the ground,

and the club can easily go much deeper than normal producing a half-fat shot that would have been just fine on normal firmer turf.

i reckon someone learning to play golf in thailand would find it more difficult than in a temperate climate.

because it is actually really difficult to get a good strike on the ball on thai turf.

i even wonder if this might have something to do with the paucity of international quality thai golfers.

the best asian golfers are from japan, korea and china, all cooler climates,

(though i know nothing about the turf there, just guessing).

 

P.S.

I am also on a mission to ban all Hybrid clubs, all Metal Head Woods and anything un-natural.

Let's do it the real way: 1 and 3 persimmon woods, 1 --> 10 irons, sand iron and putter.

Now that's golf.

[Ducar]

A good Driving Range

 

That would be great mileage with a large fuel tank.

 

 

I'm not a golfer so I thought it was funny.

 

For a real answer ask - Gary D. from San Diego. This guy knows golf courses.

[Phill]

A constant, hard, easterly wind to correct this f'ing slice I've picked up from nowhere in the last 6 months would be wondeful.....

[gogo dog]

Bar & ST rooms?